Hardly a Full House

Hardly a Full House

"───Yamaoka-san"

Despite the series of unexpected developments making my head feel hot, my voice sounded strangely calm.

I pulled the pouch containing the scrolls from my backpack and tossed the rest of my luggage into the car. Then I turned my gaze toward Yamaoka-san in the driver's seat.

"I'm sorry. Please look after our luggage. And please tell the villagers to evacuate."

"And while you're at it, please contact the police and an ambulance, just in case!"

"Take care of my luggage too."

Saying that, Riko-senpai and Rosso-san put their luggage inside the car as well.

Miyu-san was already watching the scene in silence through the scope attached to her rifle-shaped staff.

"You people..."

"We're fine. Don't worry about us."

I cut Yamaoka-san off and nodded.

He nodded back.

Once we closed the doors, the car drove away. I watched Yamaoka-san speed toward the village, then deployed my 'Spirit Armament.'

"Are you all sure about this?"

"You're asking that now? That's unbelievably tactless, Otaku-kun."

"Indeed. That can only be called a foolish question."

Riko-senpai opened the fan and hid the mouth behind it, while Rosso-san hefted the great scythe. Both of them were smiling.

I glanced toward Miyu-san just to be sure, and Miyu-san too had donned her 'Spirit Armament.'

It certainly had been a pointless question. I immediately looked away from Miyu-san, drew my staff from its holster, checked the chamber and magazine, then slid it back behind my waist.

"So, how should we split up?"

"Let's see... I'll go with Otaku-kun to Tatsumin, and Rosso and Miyu will defend the village."

'No. Let's all go together. It will be more efficient to intercept them before they enter the village.'

I turned my gaze toward the voice coming through the speaker.

There stood a steel giant: 'Kenning.' It was equipped with a tower shield in its left hand and a baton in its right.

"Why is Kenning here...?"

'I was concerned that burglars or Public Security might discover my empty house while I was away. As a precaution, I used that magic item and brought Kenning with me.'

"I see..."

Things had been dangerous lately, and Miyu-san's house was quite large even for the countryside. It was entirely possible that burglars might target it.

Even apart from that, Public Security was investigating us. I was surprised, but what she said made perfect sense.

"In any case, this is a blessing in disguise. Miyu, I shall count you among our fighting strength as well."

'Understood.'

Rosso-san was right. With Kenning here, we had the strength of a hundred.

After giving a small nod to their exchange, I took one deep breath and switched my thoughts into combat mode.

I felt the horn extending through the opening in my forehead guard throb. Neurochemicals flooded my system, and I felt strength surging through my limbs.

My fear seemed to lessen slightly. Even so, I was still scared. Surely, this emotion was the 'right' one.

What we were about to do could only be called foolish. It was not something civilians should be doing during a disaster.

But trying to lecture our clan about reason would have been even more foolish. To hell with common sense.

That was who we were—the Alfs, people who did reckless things in a momentary rush.

"Let's go."

I kicked off the ground at full force. Rosso-san followed diagonally behind me to the right, while Kenning ran on my left.

I pressed down on the scabbard at my waist so it would not interfere with my legs. With cold sweat running beneath my face guard, I shouted,

"Does anyone know anything more about the Thirteenth Dungeon?"

"All I heard was that it's dangerous!"

"Same here!"

'I did not hear the names of the monsters that appear there, but Tatsumin-san let slip that a "Demon-Bane" scroll is effective.'

"Got it...!"

I did not usually carry that type of scroll, but I had some. More importantly, I was fairly sure Miyu-san had been given scrolls of all kinds. At worst, I could get a few from her.

I changed magazines while keeping my legs moving. I loaded a 'Demon-Bane' scroll into the chamber as well.

I continued sprinting down the road, cracked and dented in numerous places. Dark clouds had completely covered the sky, and the weather looked ready to burst into tears at any moment.

Perhaps because of the water in the rice paddies, a chill wind brushed my cheeks. The weeds growing along either side of the road rustled noisily.

There was still no smell of blood in the air. So we would make it in time. We had to.

How many minutes had passed since we started running? Judging from the speed at which the scenery flowed past, our speed should have matched that of a passenger car on the highway.

Even so, it felt agonizingly slow. I drove my legs onward with reckless abandon.

At last, the abandoned amusement park came into view. A few kilometers remained. I pressed a finger against the scroll case at my right hip.

'Physical Enhancement'

"I'll go ahead. Cover me if anything happens."

'Understood.'

I accelerated all at once and reached the gate. Maintaining my momentum, I leaped over the broad, flat roof.

I landed in the plaza with the dry fountain. Scraping the hard ground with the soles of my feet, I killed my momentum, drew my sword, and swept my gaze around.

At first glance, nothing had changed inside the park.

However, I located the enemy from the flow of mana.

"There...!"

As I turned, I drew my staff and fired magic at the place where I had sensed the mana. A dazzling white flash shot through the air.

'GY...!'

But it dodged. The monster that had been hiding behind the merry-go-round emerged.

Its entire body was covered in deep crimson skin. It had a humanoid frame, stood around two meters tall, and possessed a heavily muscled physique with sharply extended claws.

Black, twisted goat horns grew from its temples. Its face resembled a skull, with neither eyes nor a nose. The flesh had been stripped away, leaving its empty eye sockets, nostrils, and teeth exposed.

A dim red light glowed in its empty eye sockets.

"'Lesser Demon'...!"

'GYGY...!'

The monster let out a creaking laugh.

Lesser Demons were low-ranking among the monsters known as demons. Even so, their danger level was said to rival—or even exceed—that of a Zmeu.

Another Lesser Demon appeared beside the crouching one.

Demons began walking out from all around us, all with the same appearance and all mocking us.

There were too many to bother counting. How had so many of them managed to pour out? It would have been tempting to call this a full house, but they were far too ill-mannered to call guests.

However, their numbers were not the only thing we needed to worry about.

As part of the Blockade's function, the instant a monster appears from the gate, a barrier is deployed to seal off that room. An alarm sounds, and the Blockade's staff notify the relevant parties while leaving the building, then completely seal off the building itself with a barrier from outside.

That barrier had been breached. Either these creatures possessed overwhelming firepower, had extensive knowledge of magic, or both.

Only now did I start wanting to turn tail and run. It was too late for that, though.

'GYGYGY...'

"Haa..."

I drew a deep breath.

Then I roared beneath my face guard.

"Enemy: numerous Lesser Demons! Beginning engagement!"

'GYAGYAGYAGYAGYA!'

I had shouted simply to see whether my companions could hear me. Taking it as a signal, the Lesser Demons charged.

I used the spin-cock to load the next scroll, then ran forward with my sword raised.

'GY!'

"Get out of my way!"

I used my precognition to evade the claw thrust toward me, then slashed the creature in front of me diagonally from shoulder to waist.

Soaked in black blood, I pressed forward. I charged along the path I had literally cut open. I severed the arm of another creature following behind, then decapitated it with a backhand stroke. I dodged a claw from the side with a step and slammed a light bullet into its face.

Ignoring the creature's screams, I tucked my knees and evaded an arm from behind. Extending both legs, I swung my sword and cut down the arm's owner with a reverse diagonal slash.

"Tch...!"

'GAAAAAA!'

The monsters' mocking laughter vanished, replaced by their enraged roars.

I leaped over an arm thrust at me from the front, used that creature's head as a foothold, and jumped even higher.

When I landed on the roof of the coffee-cup attraction, the Lesser Demons pursuing me surrounded me once again.

A tremendous motor roared nearby.

A gray giant leaped over the gate's roof and landed with a thunderous crash. It tore up the ground as it ran over and crushed several Lesser Demons.

Almost simultaneously, Riko-senpai, standing on its palm, brought down the fan, and the surrounding monsters were struck by lightning.

Furthermore, Rosso-san, carrying the great scythe, landed in another spot and chopped off three red heads.

As I confirmed all this with my own eyes, I parried a demon's arm thrust from the left with my staff, then evaded another that tried to grab me from the right with a horizontal spin. I slashed its back and used the spin-cock to load a scroll.

'GGGGGYYYY...'

Listening to the demons' growls, I glared around me and readied the weapons in both hands.

Now then... where could that mascot be?

Either way, we would have to run all over the park. Against this many enemies, I could not afford to stop for long.

'GGGAAAAAA!'

This time, the Lesser Demon's cry served as the signal.

I kicked off the faded white roof.